Brake operating mechanism



May16,1333. A.F.ER|SQN mL 4 2,153,323

BRAKE OPERATING MECHANI SM Filed May 21, 1958 2 sneets-sheet 1 4l .55) M3 @A Dif e May 16, 1939- A. F. ERlcsoN 'Er AL BRAKE OPERATING MECHANISM Filed May 21, 193e 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented May 16, 1939 UNITED STATES v1 ..{T1-:1\1T OFFICE,

2,158,323 BRAKE OPERATING MEcHANIsM Anton F. Ericson, Dayton, Ohio, and Benjamin H. Anibal, Pontiac, Mich., assignors to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application May 21,` 1938, Serial No. 209,212

n 'z claims.. (o1. 74-503) end of a second lever 29, lever 29 being pivoted This invention relates to operating mechanism and, although useful for other purposes, has been designed for applying brakes and particularly to provide an improved operating means for apply ing a vehicle brake for parking purposes or under conditions of emergency.

An object of the invention is a mechanism which may be located in a position in which it will not interfere with the passengers nor be in the way of other vehicle operating instrumentalities.

Another object is to associate with 'a manually operable brake applying means a locking pawl and a manually operable member to release the pawl.

A further object is the provision of a manually operable trigger normally functioning to prevent an unintentional operation of the releasing member for the pawl.

Other objects including efficiency in operation and economy in manufacture and installation will be understood from the following description.

The drawings show several modifications of the novel mechanism applied to a motor vehicle.Y

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view showing the relation between the brake operating means and the novel brake actuating member.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of the brake applying means.

Figure 3 is a view as seen from line 3 3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal section of a second embodiment.

Figure 5 is a section on line 5 5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a longitudinal section of a third em bodiment.

Figure 7 is a section on line 1 1 of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a sectional view through the handle of a fourth form of the invention.

Figure 9 is a section on line 9 9 of Figure 8.

Figure 1 shows a plurality of drums which may be the drums associated with the rear wheels of a vehicle. Within these drums there will be 46 used any conventional shoe assembly, the shoes of which are to frictionally engage the drums which rotate with the wheels. The drawing does not show this shoe assembly but it does show cables i3 entering the drums at |5 which cables when pulled serve the purpose of spreading the shoes into frictional contact with the drums. The cables I3 are connected to the ends of an equalizer bar |1, this bar being connected by a rod I9 to a lever 2| fulcrumed at 23 to a frame bar 25. A rod 21 connects the lever 2| to the short at 3| at any convenient point. A rod 33 is used to connect the long arm of lever 29 to the manually operable means which constitutes the subject matter of this application. The organization described is intended to show how the manually operable means may be used on a motor' "vehicle for applying rear wheel brakes for parking or for emergency operation. Obviously other details may be used to serve as the transmitting means between the manually operable means and the brake.

In the form of the invention shown by Figures l, 2 and 3, there is provided an elongated bracket 35. 'I'he bracket is of inverted U-shape in section and is secured in any convenient way atV 31 and 39 in a position forward of the panel and between the panel and the dash.` An inner member also of inverted U-shape is identified by numeral 4| It is located within bracket 35 and reciprocates therein being positioned by and slidable upon suitable guides marked 43. A hollow handle 45 is secured to one end of member 4| Rod 33 is pivotally connected at 41 to4 the other end of movable member 4|. A spring 49 which may be slightly bowed from flat stock is terminally located in openings 5| in one side of the bracket. This spring engages the member 4| and by its resiliency holds the opposite Wall of 4| yieldingly against the adjacent wall of the bracket.

The web of the bracket is formed for a portion of its length with ratchet teeth 53. These teeth are intended for engagement with a pawl 55 pivoted at 51 between the side walls of member 4|. The member 4| is formed with a short slot 59 through which the pawl projects to engage the ratchet teeth. The pawl is normally biased by a spring 6| so that its end projects through the slot 59 and engages one or another of the ratchet teeth. The spring 6| is positioned and held fixed by tongues 63 and 55 shown by Figure 2.

Slidable through the member 4| is a plunger 61." At one end the plunger engages the pawl, lying between the upper face of the pawl and the web of the member 4|. At its outer end it has a cup-shaped head 69 which is slidably mounted in an opening in the handle 45 so that reciprocation to the left (Figure 2) may release the pawl 55 fromthe ratchet. Within the handle 45 there is pivoted at 1| a trigger 13. The trigger projects through an opening 15 in the handle so that it may be rotated counterclockwise. The trigger has a notch 11 within which may enter a lug 19 projecting from the plunger 61. A coil spring 8| is seated within the bottom of cup 69 and at its other end engages the trigger whereby the lug and notch are engaged so that the plunger 61 may not be pushed by manual eiort applied to the head 69 in an effort to release the pawl. In order to so release the pawl it is necessary rst to rock the trigger against the resiliency of spring 8| to thereby separate the notch 11 from the lug 19. Subsequent to such release the plunger may be reciprocated to release the pawl.

It will be understood that with the brakes released the member 4| occupies its innermost position within the bracket. For parking the car or for emergency brake operation, handle 45 is pulled rearwardly, the pawl snapping over the teeth of the ratchet and the member 4| being thereby retained in any selected position. To release the brake, the pawl must be removed from engagement With the ratchet. This is accomplished by pushing the plunger 61. The release cannot be accidentally made by an unintended push upon the head 5.9 for the reason that the plunger is locked and must first be released by the rotation of the trigger. There is thus provided an extremely simple assembly of parts i which can be located in a position where it does not interfere with the passengers nor with other car operating mechanism. The use of the trig- -ger is desirable for the reason that the parking brake can only be released by the prior deliberate rotation of the safety trigger.

The other gures show modifications. In Figures 4 and 5 bracket 35', movable member 4|', correspond to the parts 35 and 4| already described. The plunger |51' is secured to a head or cap S9 which cap is slidably mounted in the handle 45. The trigger 13 pivoted at 1|' hasI a part 83 which is movable through a slot 815 formed in the head 69. A tension spring 8| replaces the compression spring 8|. Spring 8|' is attached at one end to the trigger 13 and its other end is attached to the plunger at 81. In this form of the invention the plunger cannot be push-ed forward until the trigger has been pulled back so that its lug 83 is moved up through the slot 85 and out of the path of movement of the portion of head 69' adjacent the bottom of the slot.

In Figure 6 the bracket and manually movable member are marked 35," and 4|", and the member 4| has a handle 45". The plunger 61" carries a head 69 slidable in the -handle and normally engaging a part 83' of a trigger 13" which rocks about a handle carried fulcrum member 89. A spring 9| within the handle normally holds the trigger forward with its part 83 obstructing the forward movement of the head S". In order to move the plunger 61 forward, the trigger is moved against the tension of spring 9| so that part 03 is no longer in the path of movement of the head 69".

Figures 8 and 9 show a handle 45| at the end of a U-shaped operating member 4|I. Within the handle are two levers 0| and |03, both levers are preferably formed from flat material and have rounded ends mounted within a similar shaped part of the handle. The levers are normally spread apart by a spring |01. The spring pushes lever |0| so that its upper end moves out through a slot |09 and it pushes lever |03 so that its upper end moves out through an opposite slot Lever |0| has a head ||3 which may engage the end of a plunger I I5. Under the influence of a rocking of lever [0| the plunger may then be pushed forward to release the locking pawl as' before. Lever |03 has an upper end underlying the end of plunger H5, When lever |03 is rocked manually from its full line position to its dotted line position it lifts the plunger ||5 from Vits full line position whereby the plunger is brought into the path of movement of the head ||3 of the lever |0|. To release the pawl therefore lever |03 is rocked to position the plunger and thereafter rocking of lever |0| pushes vthe plunger and releases the pawl.

We claim:

1. In combination, an elongated bracket of U- shaped in section, said bracket having ratchet teeth formed in its web, a U-shaped member slidably guided in said bracket, motion transmitting means connected to one end of said member, a handle carried by the other end of said member, said member having a slot positioned to lie opposite the ratchet teeth of the bracket, a pawl pivoted within said member and yielding means to project the tip of said pawl through said slot and into engagement with said ratchet teeth.

2. The invention defined by claim 1, together with a plunger reciprocable within said member to release said pawl from said ratchet.

3. Ihe invention dened by claim l, together with a plunger reciprocable within said member to release said p-awl from said ratchet and a trigger pivoted in said handle and yielding means operable upon said trigger to bias the trigger to a position wherein it locksl said plunger from said reciprocation.

4. Operating mechanism comprising a fixed ratchet, a manually movable member, said member having a short slot, a pawl pivoted to said member, yielding means to project the end of said pawl through said slot and into engagement with said ratchet, a plunger reciprocable within said movable member to rock said pawl out of engagement with said ratchet and spring operated trigger means to render said plunger inoperable.

- 5. The invention dened by claim 4, said movable member having a handle, said plunger having a head guided in said handle and said trigger having a part normally to engage and prevent reciprocation of said plunger and head assembly.

6. The invention dened by claim 4, said movable member having a handle, two levers fulcrumed in said handle, yielding means to separate said levers', one of said levers being rotatable against the tension of said yielding means to position the end of said plunger in the path of movement of the other lever.

'7., The invention defined by claim 4, said movable member having, a handle, said plunger having a head guided in said handle, said trigger having a part biased into contact with said head by its spring and manually rotatable against the action of said spring` to space said part from said head.

ANTON F. ERICSON. BENJAMIN H. ANIBAL. 

